4wd bear

Senior Member

I've hunted northwest ga my whole life. Know it like the back of my hand. Plan to spend the next couple of months stompin the higher hills of the eastern side. Chattahoochee & chestatee, Rich mtn, Cooper creek, and some of the surrounding National Forest. Not having been acquainted with em hills yet my question is what are the roads like out that way? Ruff, super ruff, or stupid ruff? Should I drive my big 4wd with winch or will my lil' 2wd yota work?

Senior Member

If you've done fine with your 2WD yota in NW GA, you'll be fine in the NE GA WMA's and surrounding areas. Sure there are areas on all of the WMA's you mentioned that can benefit by having 4WD, but overall, the roads are kept up enough to accommodate.
Rarely do I put my truck in 4WD. I'd say the bigger issue is using best judgement in crossing any of the creeks. Its been wet enough lately to be cautious crossing some of them.

Senior Member

I agree with the above, most places are not bad unless a bunch of rain washes somthin out or whatever. I'll prob get banned for sayin this but i only have a 2wd truck. It does have limited slip diff though.....

Senior Member

Senior Member

Some of the earlier chatt wma hunts seemed like 4x4 was necessary on some roads, but not the main ones. Due to rain the roads were pretty sloppy and if you had to pull off to park or pass someone it could get hairy quick. My n=1

Senior Member

Only takes about an hour to skin and quarter your kill. Easy peasy, lemon squeezy.
Don't make life harder on yourself than you have to.
Truth be told, the FS had to gate off the roads because of the problem children jeepers tearing our roads to pieces. Those few ruined it for everybody. I hate to say it, but that is the cold hard truth.

Senior Member

I love gates. Keeps the joy riders, dumpers, and underage drinking campers out that love to wake up hungover and leave their trash. I've picked up after a bunch of em! Kyle is correct. Gates are great!

Senior Member

I’d drive my 4x4 just to be safe. You know it is easy to drop one tire in a hole while trying to turn around or something like that. And then well if you need 4x4 it’s not like you can run to the house and get it😁 Go prepared and you have less to worry about far back in the hills by yourself.

Senior Member

Oh my !! would all you gate lovers mind telling us where you live ?? I am getting up in my years !! My grands took me when I was little guy to places they have gated now !! Or maybe I should ask...where were you raised ???? and please be honest !!!

I don't think we get smarter with age !! I think we run out of stupid stuff to do !!

Senior Member

Oh my !! would all you gate lovers mind telling us where you live ?? I am getting up in my years !! My grands took me when I was little guy to places they have gated now !! Or maybe I should ask...where were you raised ???? and please be honest !!!

Am I understanding you to say that It’s funny to read posts from folks who just started hunting the mountains for a whole year or two years already starting to campaign to change the way you and I have hunted these mountains for decades? 😆

Thou. I hunt the mountains and swamps of champions. I fear no one; because, I know, when it comes to killing big bucks: I Am The Man.

Senior Member

Am I understanding you to say that It’s funny to read posts from folks who just started hunting the mountains for a whole year or two years already starting to campaign to change the way you and I have hunted these mountains for decades? 😆[

Well.....no sir,,,nothing "funny" about it !! And yes sir,,,outsider tree huggers are having their impact !! Do your home work and you will find what happened in these parts during RARE II !! Are you old enough or are you familiar with such ?? The mountains burned during that time !! When the green man closed roads to the river !! What I am saying is.....if you ain't got a a.....wow....ancestry to these mountains....you would not understand !! The people of the North are a lot different than the people of the flat country !! You will be accepted if you leave your attitude(SIC) down there !! LOL...up here....when a flatlander comes and wants to crack a joke about us mountain folk...hey...your water comes from here !! We PEE in it....you drank it !! Look at the maps and where the divide is !!

And yes sir !!! It is the "outsiders" that are trying to change the way way of the locals here !!!! It has been going on for years !! Some are tired of it...some are accepting the change..but in the back ground...they aint !!/QUOTE]

Senior Member

Am I understanding you to say that It’s funny to read posts from folks who just started hunting the mountains for a whole year or two years already starting to campaign to change the way you and I have hunted these mountains for decades? 😆

Senior Member

One of my favorite spots on a wma is about a mile and half walk up hill. Beautiful place where i have kilt numerous deer and turkey over the last 20 years. BUT when i was a kid my dad use to drive us all the way back there in a 2wd 65 chevy truck. Thare was an old barn and home place that got burnt down by heatherns. They burnt stolen cars back up there and the list goes on and on. At 40 years old and in good health i love gates. When i get unable to reach those spots i'll be thankful those gates are there so my grandchildren can hike up there enjoy the beauty & good hunting without all the rift raft. For everything there is a season. When that season is over, it's over. Things have changed. We need gates now. Sorry.